I have tried to break the students up into groups of varied ability level. This is somewhat difficult because since our class is small and we sit so close together, I also have to make sure that many of my students are not seated anywhere near each other. To make sure that my "quiet students" are not left out, I try to include a student in their group who will ensure that they won't be overshadowed by the more chatty students.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Diversity and Differentiation
If you walked into my classroom you would not think it was very diverse. Out of 31 students (ours numbers are dropping), we have only one mixed student and two twin Hispanic students. Beside this our students can pretty easily be categorized into athletes and quiet students. The majority of students in my class are involved in some time of athletic group or band. These students are usually very energetic and chat with each other all of the time. The students who are not into sports are my "quiet students." They consist of about 20% of the class. Because of the this, often my quiet students fade in the background.
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I had the same problems when I created my seating chart. I tried to put a pretty quiet person in between the really chatty ones to act as sort of a barrier. One thing I didn't intend on was I put one girl in the corner with a few kids I didn't think she'd talk to. However, the other kids have been helping her understand problems more so than her old neighbors. It's been quite a success!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you do consider diversity in terms of math experience/achievement when you plan/teach...are there other aspects of diversity that you would need to consider? Wondering if you have encountered diversity in other ways?
ReplyDeleteThat is a great point about changing your groups and instruction based on how vocal students are.
ReplyDeleteI also find myself changing my instruction to make sure the quiet or less speedy students have a fair chance at thinking for themselves or contribute to the class/group before they get overshadowed by the quick to answer, talkative students.
ReplyDeleteMy students come from various backgrounds and have different levels of parental support and guidance. I have to keep this in mind when it comes to keeping my students accountable.
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